Monday, September 14, 2009

More meetings, yaaay!!!

One of your most favrit times in the entire world will be your staff meetings. Most church senior pastors hold at least one a week that is scheduled and then the ones that come up any time that s/he feels it is necessary to get out some “pertinent” information. My feeling on the situation is that I used to hate them. I would sit in the conference room and wonder if there was a point to what we were doing. Much, if not most, of the time the stuff could have been given out via memo or an email. Alas, we had them anyway.

However, even though I was prolly right in my thinking, my attitude kept me from growing. We are the ones who have the power in what we learn and get out of the meetings that we have to be at. Common, if you have to be there then you may as well make good of them. And in my case we had a really good staff. Years and years of experience were on the Senior Staff (another name for the old peeps – with all the power) that I could glean. And so I began to listen to the way that they talked. I listened to the way that they asked permission, money, resources, etc.

I learned that it was always the same peeps getting the stuff they wanted and needed; and it was always the same peeps who got nothing. Now, you and both know that there is a lot of politics in church and of course the senior pastor is going to play favrits like any other job or career. And it is up to you to decide how you are going to play the game. I know, I sound so unspiritual and untrusting in God because of what I am saying. But if you want to succeed you are going to have to play this game, the game of ministry.

What this means is that you have to be the person no one expects you to be. You have to be the one who is always on top of your game. Be early with your stuff. With your projects you need to have the mindset that if you are on time – you are late. When you know you are going to be gone, get stuff in line and be proactive with your direct superior. If this is the Associate or Executive Pastor, or the youth person over you. Put in your requests early and follow up on them. Same thing with Activity Requests – you know, to get buildings and resources.

Remember, you are the youth person which puts you last in the mind of all the other peeps on your staff. They have to worry about all their own problems. So, you worry about yours. You are expected to get more done with less resources. And that is the challenge that you need. Do your own footwork. Don't be the person on staff who needs the extra attention from the top to get things done. When something is given to you the higher-ups should feel confident that you are going to get it done. And consider it a compliment when others start to steal from your ministry – ideas, peeps, resources, etc.

Don't get frustrated. Go to bat for yourself and be so good at what you do that others will look at you as an example of what they want their ministries to be. When they say that your job is easy, you will know that you are succeeding. That is what preparation does. It gives you more time and let's you do the stuff you want to be doing. It takes a while to get there, but it is possible. Always do more than you think needs to be done. Check, recheck and check again. Get it done.

2 comments:

You're so right - you have to play the game. I love the concept - because it's so true. It also applies to many other organizations - you have to just play the game - but play in such a way that it seems easy - because you have prepared. It's so true. You are so right about perspective. It's no one's fault but our own if we don't grow and change. We need to take responsibility for what we learn and how we look and what we do. And now, we get to do stuff that we really want to do - but we are now doing just that much more. Keep writing man.

Rev. Dr. Michael David Morales

Born and raised in So Cal, MO has always felt a need to pour into the lives of others. At a young age he realized both his speaking and leadership gifts. Involvement in school student government gave him his first taste of leadership, and that was all he needed. Right out of high school, he took an intern position under his mentor of three years, and he eventually became a youth pastor.
MO attended Azusa Pacific University and received a B.A. in Christian Ministries and Biblical Studies, as well as a Business Marketing Minor. He continued his education at Fuller Theological Seminary and attained a Master of Divinity degree with an emphasis in Family Pastoral Care and Counseling; he received his Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership from University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies.
Currently MO serves in various ministries and consults both secular and religious institutions in leadership issues. he is Chaplain at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia as well as Chaplain in the US Army. MO is an author, professor, and college swim coacch. He speaks at youth camps and conferences around the nation. His goal is to add value to others daily.